Toll Facility Safety Study Report to Congress - About

Toll Facility Safety Study Report to Congress
Potential Strategies to Reduce Driver Confusion and Driver Inattention
Strategy Description
Clearly Identifying ETC Lanes
Supplement brand name
signs such as “SunPass”
with generic signs such as
“Pre-PAID ONLY” to
label ETC lanes.
Paint lane numbers on the
pavement in advance of
the plaza.
Differentiate ETC lanes
from cash or mixed lanes
with special pavement
markings.
In areas with heavy visitor traffic there are
concerns that many travelers may not be
familiar with local ETC product names (such
as EZ Pass or SunPass) and may inadvertently
enter ETC lanes as a result.
Informing Motorists of Changing Conditions
To provide drivers more time to maneuver
toward the appropriate lanes within a plaza
some agencies have undertaken the practice
of painting lane numbers into the pavement
along the approach to a plaza with
corresponding numbers over the various
booths.
A number of agencies, such as the NY State
Thruway use unique pavement markings
(such as purple paint) to differentiate ETC
from cash or mixed lanes.
Rankings from Workshop
Participants and Comments on
Effectiveness 26
Ranked 5 th of 16 strategies considered for
reducing driver confusion by workshop
participants.
Particularly effective in areas where site
lines to plaza are compromised (e.g.,
along curves).
Some agencies that have implemented the
practice question its effectiveness;
however, customers seem to like it
(according to satisfaction surveys).
Strategy was ranked in the middle of the
pack (7 th of 16 strategies considered for
reducing confusion) by workshop
participants.
Strategy was ranked 4 th out of 16
strategies considered to reduce driver
confusion.
Agencies that have implemented the
approach feel that it is effective and have
received positive customer feedback on
the practice.
Concerns / Constraints
Can add to information overload.
Difficult to select the appropriate term,
e.g., “Pre-PAID” may not be universally
understood by drivers either.
Concerns that it may lead to information
overload.
Maintenance of paint / markings,
especially in cold weather environments.
Restricts ability to re-configure lanes.
26 Within each strategy grouping, workshop participants were asked to select and rank the three strategies that they believed to have the greatest potential to improve
safety for workers and customers at toll plazas. Some of this ranking information is provided here; the full details of the rankings are provided in Appendix G. Note that
at the workshop, the strategies discussed here were presented in a category entitled “Driver Confusion and Distraction.”
Appendix H – Strategies H-17